I just purchased a 90% Remington RB in 43 Spanish. The bore and blueing are perfect and the stock only has a very few handling dents. No rust. It actually looks unfired. Last patent date is 1874. The barrel starts octagon and rear sight in just in front of the chamber Paid $800.

You have an 1879 Argentine model. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)Most of these were arsenal refinished whether they needed it or not - most, probably not. I had one and paid about the same. Mine - and maybe most - had a long throat. I had Bernie Rowles of Old West Bullet Molds in Colorado make me a custom mold for it that best suited the chamber/throat.

I might add that I got $800 in trade in from a dealer who knows them a couple of years ago and that back in the 60s I had several of the $50 Spanish made rolling blocks. They were not in the same league as the 1879 Remingtons. Oh, I just looked at Bernie's catalog and I think he has the custom mould for the 1879 listed as .441 440 grain. The nose is long and fat to contact the rifling while the bullet is still in the brass.

Seeing them in good shape is not unusual, as others have mentioned, they're often arsenal refinished. But I notice that every one I see refinished is completely blued, where I believe they were casehardened receivers originally. I got lucky and bought one about 5 years ago for $175 at a local gun show. Before I got it home my traveling partner talked me out of it for "double your money", so he still has it. At least it's in good hands.

I paid $14.95 for mine in 1961 at Ye Old Hunter in Alexandria, Virginia. Ye Ole Hunter was upstairs; Potomac Arms downstairs. They were right on the Potomac and often we stood on the balcony watching Kennedy's boat go by. Ammo was $5.00/100 and only about 10% misfires. The rifle got away from me a long time ago, but that was the rifle I learned reloading with using a Lyman 310 tool. Sometimes I think I should go back to my roots and get another one.

As others have stated, if the action is blued, then it's one of the refinished ones. If the markings on the action are still nice and sharp instead of polished nearly to oblivion, then yours is nicer than the usual run of the mill ones and price is decent. If yours still has a color casehardened receiver and niter blued hammer and breechblock, that's original finish, and you did REAL GOOD!!

I paid $14.95 for mine in 1961 at Ye Old Hunter in Alexandria, Virginia...GeorgeSalmon, Idaho

Maybe that's where I bought mine, too, for I remember always perusing carefully their ads. Of course, I'd have had to also pay shipping. But I would have sworn ammo was unavailable, and if it was, I can't understand why I failed to order some along with the rifle.

I got mine from Don Muno who with his brother had the largest collection of Rolling Blocks in the US. Their father worked for Remington. Paid $700 for a complete factory rehab ...(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)Plus have 100 Connecticut Cartridge Co 43 Spanish headstamp cartridges that I use to reload from using the NEI 439186-370 bullet ... 72gr FFg and 5gr 4759

Got one in a collection that I bought in 2001, thought I was lucky to unload it a year later for a hundred bucks. No ammo then.Bought a 73 Winchester from Ye Old Hunter for $19.95 in about 1958. Supposed to be a SRC, but was a 20 inch octagon 44. I cussed him for 30 years, too poor to pay the freight to send it back. Shot a buck with it anyway and a few varmits. Then one day I discovered that it was a sporting carbine. Finally got even with that old crook. Occasionally things just work out.James

Thank you all for your comments and information. One question I do have concerns the stamping "Modello Argentino. 1879 E.N." stamped on the rear of the barrel shown above and on the link you so kingly gave me. Mine does not have the above marking on the rear of the barrel or the witness marks at the barrel/receiver junction, but otherwise appears identical including the B stamped on the side of the barrel. Also, mine has the case hardening lightly showing through the blueing on the receiver (not that makes a difference).

All contract rifles to Argentina were stamped.Remington military contracts were sold to many countries with or without markings. This rifle is the Argentine military contract - Modelo Argentino 1879 E.N. (Ejercito Nacional, i.e. National Army) Other Argentine's were marked Modelo Argentino 1879 E.P. (National Police)When the 1902 RRB 7mm Mauser rifles were designed, Argentina shipped all their 43 Spanish back and contracted for the 1902's